Longer charging and shorter flight time spoils the Typhoon H Pro

While the Typhoon H Pro is the premium offering from Yuneec, DJI sits firmly at the top with a much higher market share and loyal fan-base. DJI, faced with the Yuneec attempt to challenge it, has simply stepped up its R&D and offerings. And from the average consumer point of view, it is clearly superior in the market.

The latest consumer drone in the Yuneec arsenal of RC quadcopter and hexacopter drones is the Typhoon H Pro. While the specs and six propellers of the Typhoon H Pro look nice, three obvious and serious issues have been identified by experts, keeping the DJI Phantom series ahead—the battery performance, ease of control, and size.

DJI Phantom 4 and Typhoon H Pro are both equipped with excellent video cameras and are similarly priced, and both have autonomous and safety features that make flying easy. However, Phantom 4 is significantly ahead of the it with two distinct and patented features—TapFly and ActiveTrack. These make it possible even for inexperienced pilots to fly the drone and do it safely and smoothly.

A major drawback of the Typhoon H Pro is its battery recharge time—a full charge takes well over two hours. That is twice as long as the time it takes the Phantom 4 to fuel up. Typhoon H Pro flight time can be shorter. Almost any DJI Phantom 4 review suggests flight time of close to 28 minutes. On the other hand, despite Yuneec claims of 24 minutes, live tests average only about 22 minutes for the Pro With a two-hour recharge time, Typhoon H Pro pilots will definitely need to keep a few extra batteries on hand.

Although the Typhoon H Pro hexacopter design is meant to add stability in flight, it has also made the drone a very heavy and bulky drone. With its remote control unit stacked with a multitude of buttons and switches, the Yuneec drone can be difficult to control.

The Typhoon H Pro is a hexacopter—its design is supposed to offer an added degree of stability in flight. In addition to making the drone heavier and harder to carry, the extra weight has also led to a shorter flight time, compared to DJI Phantom 4.

The Typhoon H Pro is one of the many modern drones with a 4K camera. While the Typhoon H Pro camera is likely to get some acceptable reviews, some experts have already pointed out the washed-out colors and the blurry frames. In addition, its video downlink relies entirely on the internal wifi card, lagging behind DJI, which offers its revolutionary Lightbridge 2 streaming feature.

The remote control unit has a display that is only basic in resolution. And the crowd of buttons and switches only adds confusion for the users.

 

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Why I choose the yuneec Q500 as my first drone?

If you are shopping your first drone, or you are searching a drone which is easy to fly and has a noticeable camera. Then I’d like to recommend you the Yuneec Typhoon Q500, just as I choose the Typhoon Q500 as my first drone.

When we choose drones, one model rules the skies. DJI’s Phantom drone, the Phantom 4 in particular.

Though similar in size, weight, and price, the Typhoon is no Phantom knockoff. It’s not a Phantom killer, either. Both have their strengths, and which one is best for you depends largely on what you plan to do with it. The Typhoon’s camera produces excellent results, and while the drone is slower and more sluggish than others, it’s remarkably easy to pilot. It’s a drone for people nervous about trying to control a $1,200 piece of flying equipment.

The Typhoon Q500 looks a bit more aggressive than DJI’s shining happy drones, with sleeker lines and a back end that resembles the head of the space-creatures in Alien. It’s also larger than the more familiar Phantoms, and made of plastic far flimsier than I’m used to seeing. That’s partly due to the fact that the Typhoon Q500 landing gear (and gimbal) can be snapped off with no special tools and stored in a much flatter package.

Unlike DJI’s offerings, the Typhoon’s base controller ships with a built-in screen in the form of a small Android device sporting 480p resolution. On one hand, it’s nice not to have so many different parts to keep track of. But there’s no way to add a bigger, clearer screen when, for example, a new iPad mini is released (the mobile device I currently use with the Phantom 3).

The screen is bright, though flying in direct sunlight remains difficult. To be fair, that’s true of every screen I’ve ever used to fly a drone. Yuneec helpfully includes a sunshade that attaches, awkwardly, to the controller with suction cups. It doesn’t completely solve the problem, but it does help.

I found the controller familiar enough to all but eliminate a learning curve. First-timers should have an easy time with it. The Typhoon’s video and still image capture buttons are chunkier than anything I’ve used, but that makes them easier to find without looking down at your hands. The included app is intuitive enough that I never cracked the manual. The touch screen is responsive as well, which is good because some of the menus and buttons are really tiny.

The Typhoon’s flight control system is great overall, it makes flying dead simple and trumps everything I’ve used save the new controller for the Phantom 3.

If you are a green hand, Yuneec Typhoon Q500 is quite a good choice.It might take a fairly skilled pilot to take advantage of all these options and features, but at the end of it all, it’s more than worth it.

 

 

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The typical Yuneec drone:Yuneec Typhoon H

Yuneec is the Chinese aircraft manufacturer that’s giving DJI a run for its money. Yuneec has launched a series of typhoon Yuneec drone models Typhoon H,Typhoon G and Typhoon Q500. As the Typhoon H is the advanced Yuneec drone model,finally it came to my choice.

In this article, I’d like to share some information of Yuneec drone model Typhoon H to you.

The first thing you notice about this monster is its size. The six arms can fold down for easy storage, but it’s a lot more fun to have this sitting around like a giant flying face-hugger waiting to unleash havoc. Once you get over the initial shock of the drone’s size you’re surprised by its simplicity. Except for a fiddly gimbal under the legs, it is about as elegant a piece of consumer electronics as I’ve seen in a long time.

This six-rotor flying machine is actually a camera platform. The webcam-like ball camera on the rotating gimbal records video in 4K UHD 30fps or 1080p 120fps. It can also take 12-megapixel photos.

Charging the battery takes a few hours and it lasts for about 15 minutes of hard flying. There are multiple warnings when you’re about to run out of juice, and the drone will lower itself toward the ground if it’s about to hit empty. You can lift the landing pads up and out of the way with the flip of a switch and you have full 360-control of the camera.

There is also a little “wizard” controller that lets you point the drone in different directions like a Wii controller, allowing for one person to control the flight pattern and another to record images and video.

The drone also has obstacle avoidance and a fairly robust landing system. When it gets too close to a tree or building, the drone will tend to move away from the obstacle. And when you bring it down it will, for the most part, slow itself down. In many cases, however, I noticed that the drone experienced a bumpy landing on almost every surface including cement. Unless you slam down the power button as quickly as possible, the thing will tip and you’ll be out a few propellers.

The best things of the Typhoon H is that it’s amazingly easy to fly even for the beginners. The obvious worst thing about this drone is the price. At $1,200 you could get a few DJI drones. I’d also worry a bit about the camera and gimbal. The entire enclosure is made of plastic and it cannot survive a direct hit with the ground unscathed. Luckily the big landing gear bears most of the weight when the drone comes down too fast but a direct hit on the camera with a tree branch or overhang can cause some major damage. It’s easy enough to replace the pieces but it’s a bit frustrating.

Despite not being a true “game changer”, the Yuneec drone will likely sell well and satisfy many users, especially those who desire a simpler out-of-the-box experience.

 

 

 

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Better to avoid Intel RealSense add-on for Yuneec Typhoon H?

Early buyers of Yuneec Typhoon H face a choice.

How will the Intel RealSense collision avoidance system be added-on to Yuneec Typhoon H models bought earlier this year without the unit? That’s a big question and one that raises issues of cost, reliability and warranty coverage.

These concerns started earlier this year as Yuneec forum threads exploded with questions on the new Yuneec Typhoon H models.

“I’m confused, is the Typhoon H available with the Intel crash avoidance? Just on the site and the H that is there doesn’t mention this,” wrote Vicki Felmlee in March

Her question was answered by Mr. Burns, another Yuneec Typhoon H user.

“Early models will not have the intel system fitted. It will be a bolt on after purchase or you will be able to buy complete, but neither will be available until June.”

That June date has come and gone with the latest news in August suggesting problems fitting the unit on the Yuneec Typhoon H. Yuneec has had well-documented production glitches for the Typhoon H series that have been also linked to a growing backlog of warranty repairs for the Yuneec Q500 4K. The Typhoon series evolution from the RC quadcopter Q500 models stands out for its six-blade or hexacopter offering at twice the price – nearly $1,300.

Yuneec launched the Q500+ in 2015 and the Yuneec Q500 4K quickly followed running at $899. The big leap in price for the Yuneec Typhoon H raised eyebrows, especially when a comparison of the DJI Phantom 4 vs the Yuneec Typhoon H is done. The DJI Phantom series is more stable in flight while awaiting controller commands, thanks to Lightbridge 2 proprietary technology that enables fast, smooth and reliable downlinks over a longer range.

But for the Yuneec Typhoon H the main add-ons from the Q500 4K outside of the extra two flying rotors was a 360-degree rotatable gimbal and a front-facing ultrasonic module. Not bad to have, but the lower cost DJI Phantom 4 can already rotate the drone body 360 degrees while airborne.

That brings us back to the Intel RealSense feature for the Yuneec Typhoon H – a technology used on laptops and sometimes worn atop helmets by bikers during races – but still not widely field tested in drones. It’s possible however that Yuneec may bite the bullet and at least let early Yuneec Typhoon H owners get access, especially since DJI is already ahead of the game as the DJI Phantom 4 comes standard with their version of collision avoidance.

It seems Yuneec has missed other opportunities with the Yuneec Typhoon H, including with the backpack as feedback from distributors and customers that getting the cover over the hard-shell version takes a few days of stretching and that placing the foam into the carrier means to get a sequence exactly correct of inserting both foam pieces (with, or without drone) before permanently attaching the top foam piece.

Afterwards, buyers are advised to carefully zip the pack closed, and allow it to sit for 1-3 days to properly stretch.

 

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First hand on review on Yuneec Typhoon H pro

Yuneec Typhoon H pro features 6 rotors, 360-degree gimbal camera. The Yuneec Typhoon H Pro uses the amazing power of Intel RealSense Technology to avoid obstacles and keep you in the shot. It’s a very outstanding design and most of customer think it’s powerful and practicable.

The key innovative feature of the Yuneec Typhoon H pro is the collision avoidance technology based on the ‘RealSense’ solution from Intel. It combines laser infra-red and ultra-sonic sensor technologies to detect and avoid even moving obstacles which might cross the flight path of the Yuneec Typhoon H pro. The Yuneec Typhoon H pro will take evasive manoeuvres as needed autonomously. It works in congested areas offering a carefree follow me function like it has never been seen before.

The RealSense technology by Intel offers several smart functions integrated into the system including CYCLE, Point of interest (POI), Curve Cable Cam (CCC), JOURNEY and Front Ultrasound Sensor function. These functions add to the other proven safety features from Yuneec like Geo-fencing, Dynamic Return home, Low Battery Return Home and No Fly Zones.

But the RealSense on Yuneec Typhoon H pro effective distance of 5 meters, and infrared light structure “outdoors” is almost failure, can only rely on infrared light detection sensors continue to work, indicating that the module itself is not designed for outdoor, so the effect can be imagined that in low quantity. Not only that, but also lead to drone flight performance down. Limit the greater speed and responsiveness. Otherwise, the effective distance of 5 meters buffer is not only not an effective auxiliary tool, but also as a tasteless.

Furthermore, Yuneec Typhoon H pro do rely on GPS positioning. GPS error and flight performance is low let the “obstacle avoidance flight” and “tracking shot” These two features are a mess, Because the effect is really not good, obstacle avoidance flight will be with the lost, targeted shooting deviation, tracking shot is not smooth.

Another problem is the battery of Yuneec Typhoon H pro. It’s not as good as same as the advertisement. In my new Yuneec Typhoon H pro drone 2-minutes into flight, My Yuneec Typhoon H pro had a complete power failure at 40 meters, at a full charge. It fell like a rock and was totaled on a gentle grassy hill side. The flight log shows all was well then nothing from the time of the failure. After the crash the battery still says it has a near full charge. Yuneec sent me a RMA label. It’s been 7 days and I have not heard from Yuneec yet as what they are going to do for me. On calling they acknowledged they received my busted-up drone.

All I want to say that it’s not worth for my waiting to this new Yuneec Typhoon H pro before .

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Yuneec Typhoon H battery: longer charging time and shorter flight time

The Yuneec Typhoon H battery is one focal point in an ongoing debate among drone pilots in the context of the broader DJI Phantom 4 vs Yuneec Typhoon H discussion.

DJI, which has the much larger market share and loyal fan-base, has world-class R&D capabilities.

Yuneec China is the challenger that is not quite up to the challenge.

In a way, the competition is good for the market. It may be less of an ideal situation for pilots who find themselves holding products that are not best in class or on the losing side of the competition. .

The Yuneec Typhoon H may fall in that category. While the specs and six propellers look impressive, three obvious issues have been identified by reviewers, issues that keep the DJI Phantom series clearly in the lead.

These issues are Yuneec Typhoon H battery performance, ease of control and size.

It was DJI who popularised drone flying as a hobby with its extremely popular Phantom line. Yuneec and other followers have since come up with their own models – making the market a vibrant and competitive one.

DJI’s RC quadcopter the Phantom 4 and the larger Yuneec H are both equipped with excellent video cameras, both are accessibly priced, and both have autonomous and safety-minded features that make flying easy. However, the Phantom 4 edges ahead with two distinct and patented features – TapFly and ActiveTrack. These make it possible, even for inexperienced pilots, to fly the drone and do it safely and smoothly.

A major drawback of the Typhoon H is its battery recharge time—a full charge takes well over two hours. That’s twice as long as the Phantom 4 takes. Talking about flight time, DJI Phantom 4 reviews report a flight time of close to 28 minutes. On the other hand, against Yuneec’s own claim of 24 minutes, live tests average only about 22 minutes. With a two-hour recharge time, Yuneec H pilots will definitely want at least a couple of extra batteries on hand.

Upon Typhoon H unboxing you can see that the hexacopter design is meant to add stability in flight, it has also made the Typhoon H a pretty hefty drone. With its remote control unit stacked with a multitude of buttons and switches, the Typhoon H can also be a lot to control at first.

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I would suggest Yuneec Typhoon G for a first time drone buyer

It’s hard to shop drone among drone bands like DJI, Parrot, Yuneec?As far as I am concerned, Yuneec is one of the most outstanding drone manufacturers in the world now. And its Yuneec typhoon is representative quadcopter drones.

Yuneec offers a number of high level drones for those looking to take their aerial photography / videography needs, whether in real estate, agriculture, 3D mapping/modeling, etc. to the next level:

In this post, we’ll be taking a closer look at the Yuneec Typhoon G, their only model that’s fit specifically for a GoPro action camera.

In that regard, the Typhoon G could be compared to the DJI Phantom 2,which is built specifically to house a GoPro. An effort to make the Yuneec Typhoon G compatible with a GoPro camera that appeared to work just fine for many users at first brought hope that the company had matched the DJI Phantom 2 and its three-axis gimbal.

The Yuneec Typhoon G came in a padded box, each accessory bagged and organized. Once I had charged the battery for about 30 minutes, I took it outside, powered on the aircraft first, then the transmitter, and then was airborne less than a few minutes later.

If you’re looking to purchase your first serious aerial platform, either for recreational or business purposes, and you already own or like working with the GoPro cameras, then I’d highly recommend taking a look at the Yuneec Typhoon G. Their customer support is top-notch, and their products, at least the ones I’ve flown / tested, are impressive.

If you don’t have a GoPro or are not particularly married to using a GoPro in the air, then I’d take a look at either the Yuneec Q500 4K or the Yuneec Q500+.

If you haven’t choose Yuneec,especially Yuneec typhoon G, you’re missing out on some high-quality aerial platforms that may very well be the perfect fit for your recreational (or business) needs.

 

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Yuneec Q500 4k GPS problems

Launched earlier in 2016, the DJI Phantom 4 is recognised as the “best-in-class” RC quadcopter, contrasting with the year-old and problem plagued Yuneec Q500 4K.

DJI Phantom 4 reviews make it very clear that the DJI RC Quadcopter is the definitive winner in the DJI vs Yuneec contest.

A DJI Phantom 4 comparison against its competition becomes pretty straightforward when the Phantom’s collision avoidance feature is taken into account. Almost any Typhoon H review, evaluating the drone that Yuneec China produces, mentions that Yuneec drones are prone to connectivity problem. And one of the reasons for that is its reliance on Yuneec Q500 4k GPS tracking only.

On the contrary, Phantom 4 flight tracking is done through GPS as well as GLONASS. Launched in 1982, GLONASS is a Russian-led satellite network intended to work for weather positioning, velocity measuring and timing anywhere in the world or near-Earth space. Access to the US-led GPS system and to GLONASS makes the Phantom 4 a much better connected drone. All of this can be credited to DJI’s superior R&D capability.

DJI Phantom 4 signal loss incidents are extremely rare. And that’s at least partially due to the dual-support the drone gets. When used alone GLONASS doesn’t necessarily have a stronger coverage than GPS. But when both are used together, GPS+GLONASS certainly increase accuracy as well as coverage. And it is more useful in northern latitudes as Russia started GLONASS originally for Russia.

DJI Phantom 4 has a clear advantage over the Q500 4K or even any intel UAV Typhoon H. Accuracy is an advantage of using GLONASS with up-to 2 metre of accuracy. GPS+GLONASS allows the DJI drone to be pin pointed by a group of over 55 satellites all across the globe.

 

 

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Is the heavy and expensive Yuneec Q500 worth its price tag?

The Yuneec Q500 is marketed as a drone that can be used for film and photography, but the ultimate use is, really, up to the pilot and some of the restrictions in the design and what might be considered a shortage of R&D.

While the battery life in the Yuneec Q500 is reasonable, it doesn’t last as long as the battery in the DJI Phantom 4.

The Yuneec Q500 has a control unit that fashions a big display screen on the remote, a screen that is almost too big and low res. There are other issues with the Yuneec Q500 controller. The buttons and switches are not organized in the most logical or intuitive manner. And using it can be an overly complicated affair even for experienced pilots.

It is also worth considering that the Yuneec Q500 isn’t supported by a mobile app as efficient as the DJI Go app.

The tracking features on the Yuneec Q500 are decent but fail to live up to those in many a DJI model. In fact, a DJI Yuneec lawsuit underway is based on the similarities of some of these features between Yuneec drones and those from DJI.

The Yuneec Q500 is part of the effort by Yuneec China to challenge DJI – the largest among the world’s UAV drone manufacturers.

The DJI vs Yuneec contest underway is fairly interesting but one that DJI appears to be winning with some ease.

With the Phantom 4, DJI has further cemented its position as the undisputed leader in the market. Yes, the Yuneec Q500 can be an attractive looking drone with a bit of flair in its design, with a swept-back body and curved surfaces but its plastic material is far from classy or tasteful and it can also raise questions about the strength of the drone.

The shiny silver-and-white plastic skin of the body makes the Yuneec Q500 look more like an oversized toy than the serious device that the Yuneec Q500 is supposed to be.

The design is decent but not completely free from flaws – a fact that points out why DJI is the clear winner in terms of R&D and consumer focus.

DroneCompares reviews have overwhelmingly acknowledged the Yuneec Q500 as a drone with reasonable operating range with automated takeoff and landing. Having said that, against a DJI Phantom 4 comparison, the vast majority of experts endorse the DJI drone’s easy handling and control.

The Yuneec Q500 control unit may be a bit tricky to the first time user as well. While DJI features like ActiveTrack or TapFly put the Phantom series in a separate class from the Yuneec Q500.

Another major point of DJI Phantom 4 comparison against the Yuneec Q500 is the camera. The Yuneec Q500 costs more than most other drones Yuneec and other manufacturers. But pilots with first-hand experience are labelling the Yuneec Q500 camera as disappointing. The resolution seems to be inferior to even the older DJI Phantom 3 model. The Yuneec Q500 lens feels cheap and the image quality sometimes may look like it was shot with an amateur smartphone lens.

On the other hand, almost every DJI Phantom 4 review has showered an abundance of praise on its camera.

Overall, the Yuneec Q500 is an interesting drone with numerous flight modes and an ok camera but the biggest drawbacks for the Yuneec Q500 are performance inconsistencies and some of the features that are overcomplicated and difficult to use.

 

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It is so troublesome to get my defective Q500 4K fixed

I would like to give Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K 5 stars, but instead I gave Q500 4K 3 stars. Here’s why.

The CGO3 camera is very good and the steady grip is very good. That alone almost makes the entire package worth it. But the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K does have some issues. Mine crashed on it’s second flight due to an engine failure. The Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K just fell from the sky and hit the ground, one of the props clipped the edge of a branch and the Quadcopter fell about 30-40 feet to the grass and shattered. The material the shell was made of was very brittle and thin and cannot take much of an impact.

We chalked Q500 4K up to material defect and went to find out how to get the Q500 4K repaired. The web site said that the only way to contact service was to call by phone. A major inconvenience. Since we were working with a security client in a very remote rural area with poor cell reception, we had to travel over 90 mins RT to an office to call. You would think that a technology based company would have a simple online repair system to enter the information and send a couple of photos. The process is extremely cumbersome. Yuneec was more concerned with their internal processes, instead of making it easy to get an expensive unit repaired. Finally we were able send the Typhoon Q500 4K to the Yuneec for repair. It took a couple of months before we heard from the Yuneec despite repeated emails asking for a status update. Finally, they sent us a quote by email to approve the repairs. We approved the repairs and then were informed that the only way to submit payment was by calling them on the phone and providing CC information. I had to resort to something that I never do and submit the CC information in multiple emails in order to get this processed. They told us they only accept payment by CALLING THEM. So the unit continues to sit at the repair depot until we can get to an office to call. They couldn’t even take an online payment, send a payment invoice (PayPal or Intuit), take e-checks, checks, invoice the company, or arrange for any alternate payment options.

As consultants, we have many clients in remote rural areas and a difficult repair process costs our clients and us money and time we don’t have. It has been a year. Getting parts and batteries takes forever. We will never recommend to a client to Yuneec again. I have flown Parrot Bebops with much less trouble then my Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K. I would really like to love this drone, but I just can’t.

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DJI Go app another consideration in DJI Phantom 4 vs Yuneec Typhoon H comparison

There are myriad ways to undertake a Yuneec Typhoon H vs Phantom 4 comparison. While the one is quite possibly the most advanced consumer focused drone on the market, the other is a large bird that does not quite seem to pull off its futuristic look but does take up a lot of space.

Backed by a wealth of R&D the Phantom 4 has a range of features that allow both experienced and brand new pilots to fly the drones almost immediately after taking them out of the well-designed carrying case and do so in safety (thanks to state of the art obstacle avoidance capabilities) with virtually no reports of DJI Phantom 4 signal loss.

One big reason why flying a Phantom 4 is such a relatively straightforward proposition is the DJI Go app, which provides much more functionality than a new app used to control the Yuneec Typhoon H. For the time being, the app in the Typhoon controller is relatively new and has only limited functionality, according to a DroneCompares review of both.

There is virtually nothing that the DJI Go app cannot control on the RC quadcopter. The all-in-one application makes it possible – in fact easy – for pilot to fine tune settings on the drones, receive telemetry, edit photos and videos and share those photos and videos on a smartphone or tablet bypassing a computer.

The DJI Go is yet another reason why DJI continue to maintain its position as the most popular brand of drones, with a prohibitive lead in market share. In a survey of some 250 beta members, dedicated site NVdrones found 81% of respondents owned at least one DJI drone compared to just 5% that own a Yuneec drone. Other brands such as Enhang or Zerotech (produced by Shenzhen Zero-tech UAV Limited) trail further behind.

 

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Yuneec Breeze price point a controversy

Take your pick of the extras you’ll need for the Yuneec Breeze and the advertised price of below US$500 suddenly starts heading toward the higher end of prices from other UAV drone manufacturers.

For example, as offerings of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts, a list of two dozen add-ons to get more out of the beetle-shaped “selfie” drone can be priced from US$4.55 to US$227.50, and these don’t even include a carrier case, which the Yuneec drone lacks.

For example, a Yuneec Breeze replacement battery is priced at $46.80—probably a necessity if you buy the drone because it only comes with one battery that lasts for a mere 12 minutes.

But wait, there’s more! You’ll need a Yuneec Breeze power cable for that battery charger, at US$5.45. And while you’re at it, get a set of Yuneec Breeze propeller protectors for US$7.80, as the unit does not include them and the R&D for the propellers has led to a design that makes hitting one with a hand entirely possible.

However, if you do break a propeller in the RC quadcopter, you can buy two from Yuneec for US$10.15, so a whole new set is $20.30. But probably the four most interesting add-ons are the Yuneec Breeze lens, compass module, rubber dampeners and optical flow components that would total US$139.58—and again would be necessary for a drone that has an 80-meter range at best and is operated using a smartphone. A mere gust of wind could cause a loss of connection and send the Yuneec Breeze crashing or flying out of sight.

Be aware, a lot of these accessories are on the waiting list or exclusively for higher-end items, such as the Yuneec Breeze Accu LiPo battery. Good luck.

The need to kit out the supposedly low-cost starter Yuneec Breeze has not escaped reviewers who compare the model to offerings from start-up drone makers who combine components for functional, if short-lived, camera drones priced at as little as $99.

And it’s the 4K camera claim of the Yuneec Breeze that is really at the heart of many decisions on whether to splash out quite a bit more for a drone that other companies sell for one-fifth of the price. Reports are already rolling in that it may be hard to get 4K video out of the Yuneec Breeze and that in most cases, users will want to use the 1080P video for stability.

In fact, the question was raised by Burmansound, who wondered how control of the drone’s line-of-sight camera impacts use.

“I wonder how much of the 4K resolution is lost by the image stabilization?” Burmansound asked.

“You’d need a lot of pixels outside the frame to accommodate the tilting and rolling of the drone as it moves. I’d imagine it would only work if the drone were stationary with not much wind, or maybe moving, but at a slow, constant speed. But I guess even if it gives you HD resolution without a gimbal that would still be pretty good. But there’s still the problem of framing the shot. I’m guessing you can manually tilt the camera down before takeoff in order to get shots like the ‘wish you were here’ shot on the beach.”

 

 

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Whether the Typhoon H Realsense worths the price?

The Typhoon H Realsense was launched at CES 2016 and one of Yuneec’s key selling points was the Intel Realsense module that the latest – and most expensive so far – Yuneec Typhoon was supposed to carry.

Yuneec China launched the Typhoon H and retailed it – after months of delay –for about US$1,299, about twice as much as the Typhoon Q500 4K. Is the Typhoon H Realsense worth this price? Many experts and pilots don’t think so.

Typhoon H Realsense uses a similar Intel Realsense module to those used in bikers’ helmets, simulated computer gaming and a range of other fields. How effective it’d be on an aerial drone that’s following subjects to capture QHD footage?While the expectations were high, the Typhoon H Realsense has so far not been met with similar level of praise as that displayed in almost every DJI Phantom 4 review. Rather, the DJI RC quadcopter has a market-leading Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS).

A Typhoon H Realsense, against DJI Phantom 4 comparison, demonstrates a couple of major difference, the key being that the DJI system is more stable in varied conditions.

Quite naturally, the comparisons with the DJI Phantom 4 flooded on-line forums like DroneCompares or myfirstdrone.com. Compared to Typhoon H Realsense, Phantom 4 reviews have been largely positive, with its multi-camera-based OAS is known to avoid obstacles without failing from a longer distance.

One important thing to remember is that the Typhoon H Realsense does not include the collision avoidance feature that was on display when the drone was launched at the CES 2016. For starters, the drone in the demonstration was aided by a Vicon infrared system that is far from standard.

DJI Phantom 4 vs Yuneec Typhoon H reviews have been overwhelmingly sided in favour of DJI.

Pilots are calling Typhoon H Realsense drone’s safety mechanism, at its best, ‘basic’.

While the Typhoon H Realsense does work better at low-light conditions, a lot of people have complained about problems encountered when the sunlight is too bright or the breeze is too strong. Experts agree that the likelihood of flying a UAV during daytime is much higher than flying it at night.  On the contrary, the DJI drones is equipped with its own obstacle avoidance system that can sense objects from a much longer distance, and take evasive action without failing.

Under standard flying conditions, the Typhoon H Realsense and the Phantom 4 from DJI report an operating time of 22 minutes and 28 minutes respectively. However, the heavier bodyweight of the Typhoon H Realsense, due to its almost inconvenient size thanks to the six rotors, almost always contributes to the faster drain-out of the battery, and its inability to fly longer or higher.

 

 

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DJI Phantom 3 has cost advantages over Yuneec Q500 in roof inspections

The Yuneec Q500 has had many problems, not the least of which is that it is not the most affordable option for some jobs.

It could be that Drone Girl has too much time on her hands. Or maybe she is better than the rest of us at thinking about the known unknowns-, like whether our roofs have holes and need repair.

Either way, she has done a public service by alerting us on the most cost-efficient way to inspect roof tops. Not to mention, she has now helped many a person avoid a trip up a rickety ladder and a possible dangerous tumble off of a garage roof.

Through her work, Drone Girl confirms what many might not know, that an RC quadcopter or hexacopter to inspect your roof doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. She did a comparison of DJI Phantom vs various models from other UAV drone manufacturers to arrive at her conclusions.

The figures speak clearly. A Yuneec Q500 will set you back $699 to buzz above the shingles on your roof and beam back pictures of any trouble spots. But in DJI Phantom 3 comparison, she finds that one of the most popular drones ever will do the same job but cheaper.

“This drone (DJI Phantom 3) is incredibly wallet friendly,” Drone Girl tells us. “The video streams through your smartphone or tablet, which you can use to get real-time video.”

By “wallet friendly” Drone Girl means $499, hundreds of dollars less than the Yuneec Q500.

And just to show we are not making light of using a drone to see what is on your roof, we leave you with some insight from Drone Girl on the matter.

“Roof inspections can get fancy,” Drone Girl tells us. “You could add a thermal camera (particularly if you have solar panels on your roof). If you had a huge roof and needed to fly the exact same route every time, you might want to use Skycatch, which could even generate a map for you.”

“But for most roof inspectors, all you want is a relatively small drone that is stable, easy to fly, can get close to the roof, is safe, and offers both a live video feed and generates high qualities images or video that can be saved.”

Indeed, food for thought.

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Vanity drone Yuneec Breeze 4K good for sunny, windless days

Limited range Yuneec drone is nothing but an expensive selfie toy.

Fun with the Yuneec Breeze 4K can happen on a windless summer day with perfect conditions from distance to the camera to getting the short-battery life just right for a lifestyle picture.

But the promise that a “follow-me” mode will work to allow first-time drone users to “vogue” as Madonna would say, that may not be enough of an incentive to buy the Yuneec drone. For starters, the 4K camera advertised is not the same as the one on the much more expensive and heavier Yuneec Typhoon Q500 model and certainly pales in comparison to DJI’s built-in 4K cameras.

One review of the Yuneec Breeze 4K said the camera’s video functionality as advertised full-spec at 4K can be misleading as well, because with the WiFi connection it is better to use the 1080P video to get a more stable and ready-to-use video.

The spec has a range of about 80 meters before the phone WiFi signal gets choppy, potentially sending the Yuneec Breeze 4K on its way home, or worse, a flyaway.

The Yuneec Breeze 4K is operated by an app on a smartphone and definitely has no frills in accessories and packaging. Apparently the idea is to fold the propellers and throw the Yuneec Breeze 4K in your own backpack to carry – a mode of transport that anyone who’s ever owned a drone or any sensitive electronic toy knows is bound to result in damage.

But initial reports suggest the oblong shape and weight of about 1lb of the Yuneec drone make it shaky in flight and easily blown off course by even light winds – defeating the idea of a selfie pose.

In fact, the beetle-shaped Yuneec Breeze 4K should be handled carefully if live and held at arms-length to avoid getting a hand caught in one of the unprotected blades. Still, to be fair the unit is compact and is certainly divergent from other Yuneec models such as the Yuneec Q500.

Probably the best feature of the Yuneec Breeze 4K is that once the 12-minute battery life ends, you can take the downloaded stream and post it to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram or WhatsApp from your smartphone.

R&D has not been a Yuneec strongpoint as can be seen in the faulty internal WiFi card and weak GPS connections. So the Yuneec Breeze 4K may be a rush job sent out to fill a market niche, though it has been widely noted that up-and-coming drone makers are offering fairly interesting entry models for as low as $99.

That also draws attention to the comparison of the Yuneec Breeze 4K with the $499 DJI Phantom 3 Standard, which does have lower specs than models such as the DJI Phantom 4, but also comes with more features and a dedicated controller as well as works with most phones.

The price point has also become a test of features and accessories that sees some UAV drone manufacturers looking to allow other types of cameras and tools to the mix, making the Yuneec Breeze 4K appear as a throwback.

 

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Yuneec Breeze looks set to get lost in the crowd

With its limited range and connection issues, the Yuneec Breeze comes at a major disadvantage to cheaper consumer drones already on the market and that have many of the same features if not better.

Early users have found that the weight of the Yuneec Breeze, at about a pound, and awkward oblong shape make it susceptible to being easily blown off course by wind gusts, diminishing its promise as a stable platform for “selfie” shots. At the same time, even hovering nearby someone using an app on a smartphone underscores the danger of sending the Yuneec drone too far away, especially for the camera’s functionality.

“Basically you can get 4K video out of it, but in reality you want to use the 1080P video that is going to give you a much more stabilized and ready to use video,” Bo Lorentzen, said in a review of the Yuneec Breeze on fpvguy.com

And that little tidbit is a recurring theme in other threads about the Yuneec Breeze —specs that seem to promise the features of higher-end drones, like the solid 4k camera from the DJI Phantom 4 with Lightbridge 2 technology in the controller, but in reality are closer to a spate of copycats that remain underdeveloped. That includes the one battery that comes with the Yuneec Breeze with a 12-minute, at best, air time and that lacks the kind of carrying case to protect the propellers of the Yuneec Breeze during transport for what presumably would be spontaneous use.

“I think the target audience for this is gonna balk at the price of this product,” said Attila Von Stryker1. “This set of features is going to appeal to the $100.00 audience at the local Big Box Store. Too much expensive tech for the utilitarian task of a flying selfie stick. These products will be the inevitable failed precursors to better things to come.”

In fact, Attila Von Stryker1 notes, even some of the advertised features of the Yuneec Breeze that seem to set the Yuneec drone apart from a spate of lower-end models from UAV drone manufacturers may backfire if they prove to provide patchy service, a problem seen with higher-end Yuneec drones.

“People will opt for a less capable, yet still “good enough” option at a more affordable price point,” said Attila Von Stryker1.

“I have expensive GoPros but most of the time I fly a $100.00 RunCam, Mobius or SJ4000 and they do a good job in most cases without the potential loss of a $450.00 GoPro. The first company to streamline the tech to just the bare essentials enough to accomplish this task at a ‘good enough’ price point will have a decent chance at a breakout product.”

As noted, the camera onboard the Yuneec Breeze is one of the questioned tech factors as it appears to be billed as on par with the 4K video camera used on DJI’s Phantom 4K UHD drone, meaning that the Yuneec Breeze should deliver quality image feeds. But as buyers have noted, the camera is not connected to a gimbal and its point-and-shoot type process is better suited to capture video using EIS (electronic image stabilization) at 1080p, not at 4K.

That is really disappointing, SergeantAsh pointed out, and “means that when shooting 4K, the picture will shift whenever there is wind or if you manually control the drone to travel forwards/backwards or tilt it.”

On another point, the folding propellers are probably not enough of a safety feature to avoid damage if the Yuneec Breeze is carried loosely in a backpack, and the app used to control the Yuneec drone from a smartphone does not stand out from those used in cheaper “selfie” drone products hitting the market.

“It will be interesting to see if there is a market for many various brands of the same (basic) machine – and if the camera stabilization is good enough to justify the price tag,” said reviewer Craigiri.

 

 

 

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